Toothbrush



R. L. HALLOCK TOOTHBRUSH Dec. 16, 1941.

Filed Dec. 13, 1938 g X y F i 1 W 1 w A 4 Ar? 4 v w.

Patented Dec. 16 1 941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,266,195 TOOTHBRUSH Robert Lay Hallock, Newburgh, Ind.

Application December 13, 1938, Serial No. 245,345

1 Claim.

My invention relates to tooth brushes and has for its object to provide a tooth brush better adapted to conform to tooth set contours. In accordance with the invention, bristle carrying sections are mounted to have relative movement, preferably by independent cantilever support,

The preferred form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view;

Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section, on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5 and 6 show the action of the brush in use.

The toothbrush includes a handl Ill. Extending forwardly from the handle I are two lateral fingers II and an intermediate or central finger I2. At the forward end of the central finger I2 is a bristle carrying section I3 in which are mounted a group of tufts of bristles I4. Central finger I2 may be said to be an arm or extension carrying the bristle section I3, I4 as an independent unit. At the forward end of lateral fingers or arms II are bristle carrying sections I in each of which are mounted bristle tufts I6. Tufts I6 are behind and in longitudinal alignment with certain of the tufts I 4. Lateral connecting pieces I I connect bristle sections l5 with a front or leading bristle carrying section I8 in which are mounted a group of tufts of bristles I9. Bristles I9 are in alignment with bristles I4. Lateral fingers II carry bristle sections I5 and I8 independently of bristles I4.

For the purpose of description, it may be considered that the parts III, II, I! and IB constitute a tooth brush having a central portion removed forming a through-aperture in which is mounted a small tooth brush made up of the bristle carrying section I3 and its handle or arm I2, the end of arm I2 being joined to the main handle I0. Except for the attachment of arm I2 to handle I0, parts I2 and I3 are entirely independent of the remaining parts. There is, in effect, a narrow groove around parts I2 and I3 except at the rear point of attachment which passes through the body of the brush whereby the independently mounted tufts can have independent movement in the general line of extent of the bristles.

The handle Ill, fingers I2 and II, connecting pieces I1 and bristle carrying sections (not including the bristles) are preferably made integral and of an elastic resilient material of such character that the handle I0 is essentially rigid while the fingers II and I2 are quite flexible.

Such materials ar known and are at present used for tooth brushes. Various molded plastics may be used of either the field of resin derivatives or cellulose derivates. Examples of such substances are phenol-formaldehyde resins and pyroxylin. In order to increase the yieldability of the fingers II and I2 they may be made of reduced cross-section as shown at 20.

It may be said that the bristle groups I4 on the one hand and the bristle groups I6 and I9 on the other hand are independently carried at the ends of the respective cantilevers I2 and II.

The action produced by the independent support of the longitudinally displaced bristle tufts is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. I The tufts can accommodate themselves to teeth which have a generally convex or concave curvature as a group. Considering spaced teeth as in a given plane, the

tufts I4 can be moved into contact with an intermediate tooth to one side or the other by slight hand pressure on the handle as is ordinarily applied.

In manufacture, the body may be molded directly in the form shown, or it may be molded as a solid block and the slot between the parts may be sawed out.

It will be seen that in the construction as disclosed the bristles are relatively movable to conform to concave and convex contours while appreciable relative sideways movement of bristle groups is prevented.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the preferred form disclosed.

What I claim is:

A tooth brush including a main bristle unit, a handle, a connection between said handle and said main unit, said main unit including longitudinally spaced bristle carrying sections having bristle groups in longitudinal alignment, a central bristle carrying section disposed between the bristle carrying sections of said main unit and carrying a plurality of groups of bristles in longitudinal alignment and between bristle groups of said main unit, said main unit having parts extending laterally on both sides of said central bristle carrying section and close thereto, a member connecting said central bristle carrying section with said handle, said member being resilient relative to the connection between the handle and the main unit to permit movement of the bristles of the central section relative to those of the main unit in the general direction of the bristles so that the bristles in their entirety can conform to concave and convex contours, while appreciable relative sideways movement of the bristle groups is prevented.

ROBERT LAY HALLOCK. 

